Valve Faces £656 Million UK Class-Action Lawsuit Over Steam’s Pricing and Commissions

The Competition Appeal Tribunal in London has ruled that a landmark £656 million collective action lawsuit against Valve Corporation can proceed. The case, representing up to 14 million UK Steam users, alleges the company has abused its dominant position in the PC gaming market.

Filed by digital rights campaigner Vicki Shotbolt, the lawsuit centers on two primary accusations. First, it claims Valve imposes restrictive terms on game publishers, preventing them from selling titles cheaper or earlier on rival platforms. Second, it argues that Steam’s requirement for users to purchase all additional in-game content through its platform effectively "locks in" consumers.

These practices, the claim argues, enable Valve to maintain an “excessive” commission of up to 30% on sales. This alleged abuse of market dominance is said to have resulted in UK consumers overpaying for PC games and add-on content since 2018. The case is backed by significant litigation funding and is part of a broader wave of regulatory scrutiny targeting major digital marketplaces. Valve, which had sought to have the case dismissed, now faces a trial that could set a significant precedent for the global video game industry and digital platform regulation.